Construction of new Manhattan Beach county library to begin in fall

Manhattan Beach's new county library got the final approval it needed this week for construction to start in the fall.

With all land-use permits OK'd by the City Council, the decades-old 12,000-square-foot building on Highland Avenue is one step closer to being replaced with a 22,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art structure with three transparent glass sides and a second-story ocean view.

It's an upgrade years in the making. Residents stated their desire for a new facility more than a decade ago, and the project has slowly made its way through the municipal process. It's been discussed at more than a dozen commission meetings, City Council meetings and public workshops.

The architects, Johnson/Favaro, say the new facility will integrate seamlessly into the community and represents the character of the town: light, warm, vibrant. Most notably, the facility's second floor, which will house the teen and adult libraries, reading areas, study rooms and computers, has a panoramic, unobstructed ocean view.

"The most important thing is your relationship to the place itself, to the Santa Monica Bay. You'll literally feel as if you're standing on the precipice of the bay," firm principal Jim Favaro said.

Some have voiced concerns about the design - namely the glass fa ade on Highland Avenue - questioning whether glass will reflect light that could blind drivers and whether it will insulate the building.

But the architects have assured the city "this is not your grandfather's glass building." The double layers of glass will not produce dangerous glare and will properly insulate and soundproof the building, Favaro said.

Mayor David Lesser said the new facility will only take up half of the current library's footprint, leaving room for a large, sloped grassy area on the east side facing Civic Plaza that can serve as amphitheater space or simply a spot to sit outside under the trees and read.

"It's designed to enliven the plaza," he said. "This is going to be a community gathering spot. We'll have a great community attraction. We're undertaking an amazing project and it's not coming out of the city coffers. "

No city money is being used for the new library. The county will use about $12 million of excess property tax revenue it has collected from residents - which can only be used for library purposes - along with a 30-year bond to fund the project. The debt service on the bonds will be paid back with a portion of residents' property taxes designated solely for library use. The projected growth of property tax revenues will cover the increase in operating costs of the new library, the county has said.

The council approved $102,000 for temporary library services, including the continuation of the popular children's programs, an express library or bookmobile 20 hours a week and online resources.

Those temporary services will begin in June, right after the current library closes for demolition in July. Construction on the new facility is scheduled to begin in October, with completion expected in spring 2015.

On Tuesday, three council members voted to approve the use permit, coastal development permit and lot line adjustment for the facility, which is owned and operated by the county. Councilmen Mark Burton and Tony D'Errico, who joined the council last month, abstained from the vote. Burton and D'Errico were unsure why a council vote was necessary on the project since it had gone before the Planning Commission and were uncomfortable casting a vote.